FREMONT - The first of 16 area houses will be demolished Friday as part of a $750,000 grant given to the Sandusky County Land Bank.

The first home to be razed is located at 120 Cook St., with Garza Dirt Works scheduled to do the demolition on Friday.

It will be the first of many homes scheduled to be demolished in the next several weeks, according to Sandusky County Commissioner Kay Reiter.

Reiter and Sandusky County Commissioner Board President Charlie Schwochow both represent the county on the Land Bank board that was formed two years ago.

"Can't believe it's been two years, but we are glad to see our first property come down," Schwochow said Thursday.

Once the buildings are razed through the grant program, the properties must be maintained by the land bank for three years before they are sold. Exceptions can be made if the land is being transferred to the owner of an adjoining property, a political subdivision for community use, a nonprofit for housing development, or a business or residential development.

For a property to qualify, it must be vacant or delinquent on taxes.

Although the county will not see reimbursement for back taxes once the properties go to the land bank, taking ownership and selling the properties to new owners will create tax revenue that otherwise was missing from owners who were foreclosed on, Schwochow said.

WSOS Community Action will administer demolitions and the nonprofit agency was instrumental in securing the grant funding awarded to the county's land bank.

Four of the 16 properties have tested positive for asbestos, which will be abated before the buildings are razed.

The goal of the land bank is to create value out of dilapidated and unpaid taxes on property, or to force homeowners to pay their taxes for fear that if they become delinquent, the land bank will seek ownership through foreclosure.